With people thinking that bigs in the NBA is a dying breed, it's nice to have a potential all star big on our side..

Who was the best big to ever play for the Raps? Do you think JV have the potential of surpassing that player?

Obviously Bosh is the best big we've ever had but if you mean just the center position, then it's wide open. Antonio Davis was likely the best of them and JV should definitely surpass him.

It's nice to see JV getting respect from down south, even if it's just D-League attention. I saw similar things said on SI, so JV is definitely turning some heads.

D-League is only barely ahead of the Drew league in terms of barometer for NBA success, but the fact that one guy even mentioned JV as Most Improved in 2014 is big. JV certainly looks like he could be a match-up nightmare in the east that lacks true centers.

The Knicks have Tyson Chandler but god how I hope we can have a JV-Bargnani on the block stretch.

It is one thing for a guy to be scoring the ball when they have it in their hands all the time (Shelby), but Jonas is showing an improved frame and an ability to finish left handed as well. He is still 2 back to the basket moves away from being a legit post threat, but his face up game of running hooks is pretty refined. He will carry over most of what he is doing in the Summer league to regular season, and I am sure he will still frustrate us with some silly fouls and too many turnovers, but he is on the right path.

With people thinking that bigs in the NBA is a dying breed, it's nice to have a potential all star big on our side..

Who was the best big to ever play for the Raps? Do you think JV have the potential of surpassing that player?

I think it has to be Antonio Davis by default. Bosh....well he didn't, and still doesn't, play enough like a big man for me to consider him that, especially on D.

When I think of guys from the Raptors bringing what a big man is supposed to bring....I think Antonio, Rasho, Willis, Oak, and Keon Clark. JO and Hakeem are obviously the biggest talents we've had, but both were useless when we got them.

On Jonas, I think it's fairly obvious he'll be better than anyone the Raps have had down the middle, and in the end, I don't think it'll even be close.

It may be summer league...scratch that..it is summer league. He may be a man amongst boys but with free throws, it's man against a hoop 15 ft away.. Same as in the regular season. Sure, there's more pressure but you all get the point. Shooting 24-27 (89%). Watching the spurs game, I was suprised that not much was being said about that. They commented that he was shooting well but didn't mention how rare and invaluable that was for a player of his size that you can leave on the floor at the end of the game.

Bosh....well he didn't, and still doesn't, play enough like a big man for me to consider him that, especially on D.

As much as I like to hate on Bosh, the man averaged 24pts, 10.8rpg and 1.0bpg, on 52% shooting in his final season as a Raptor. Those are SERIOUS numbers. Regardless of how we feel about the guy, he's easily the best Power Forward this team has ever had.

In Davis' best season with the Raps, he 'only' averaged 14, 10 and 2, on 43% shooting.

So while Jonas may never average 24 & 10, I think he will come close while doing it in a way that has far more impact on the outcome than Boshs soft play would.

Last edited by Joey; Thu Jul 18th, 2013 at 01:59 PM.

"That was Nasty right? Cocked that Joint back and banged on 'em." -James Johnson

As much as I like to hate on Bosh, the man averaged 24pts, 10.8rpg and 1.0bpg, on 52% shooting in his final season as a Raptor. Those are SERIOUS numbers. Regardless of how we feel about the guy, he's easily the best Power Forward this team has ever had.

In Davis' best season with the Raps, he 'only' averaged 14, 10 and 2, on 43% shooting.

So while Jonas may never average 24 & 10, I think he will come close while doing it in a way that has far more impact on the outcome than Boshs soft play would.

Bosh is definitely among the best players the Raptors have had, but when a guy averages 10 boards basically because his coach has to constantly challenge him to (or it's a contract year), and doesn't bang down low, doesn't score that well in the post, can't guard either position down low....I can't call him a big man.

Bosh is basically a tweener in a PF's body, that he never developed to play like a true big. He never had, and still doesn't have, very good big man skills.

*Edit: I picked Davis because he had his best years here as a true big. He brought physicality, D and intimidation, as well as leadership. He brought things Bosh never could, and things that only big men really can. So IMO, Bosh never had a "big man" impact. He was just a go-to scorer who rebounded well, but who couldn't defend any position.